


I Love You a Latte

by CelestialVoid



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Barista Stiles Stilinski, Coffee, Coffee Shop Owner Stiles Stilinski, Coffee Shops, Declarations Of Love, Established Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Romantic Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-18
Updated: 2020-02-18
Packaged: 2021-02-28 02:48:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 999
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22786675
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CelestialVoid/pseuds/CelestialVoid
Summary: Nothing says 'I love you' more than your barista boyfriend teaching you how to make latte art... except, maybe, actually saying "I love you."
Relationships: Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski, Vernon Boyd/Erica Reyes
Comments: 19
Kudos: 218





	I Love You a Latte

"You two have been together for months and you still haven't said it?" Erica said, astounded.

"Nearly two years," Derek corrected. "And, no."

“Why not?" Erica asked.

"Because every time I want to say it, I stumble over my words, I lose myself when I look at him, or he’ll start talking and I want to listen to whatever it is he’s saying.”

"You're such a softie," Boyd chuckled. "But if you love him, you have to let him know that; otherwise you’re going to lose him.”

Derek let out a measured sigh.

“I don’t want to lose him,” Derek uttered quietly.

He looked around the small coffee shop. The morning rush was over and they had hit the dead period where only a few stray customers would wander in.

It was a quaint little rustic café: the walls were painted a soft shade of pebble grey and the floors were a grey shade of dark wood. The tables were made of pine—Derek and Boyd had made them themselves from the trees they had had to cut down on Derek’s property. The counter was made from the same wood and decorated with vertical slats of wooden siding. Behind the counter was a large chalk board with the menu written on it; scrawls of Derek’s neat handwriting spelling out the specials because Stiles insisted he had the neatest and loveliest handwriting.

A few pictures hung on the walls—drawings that Lydia and Cora had done as well as a few works from local artists. Potted plants, hanging baskets, and flowers were scattered about the shop, brightening up the space.

Stiles had opened the café a little over a year ago, and Derek had done everything he could to support his boyfriend. He even offered to pay Stiles’ lease for the first few months so Stiles could focus on establishing the business and not worry about money, but Stiles wouldn’t let him.

“Do you love him?” Boyd asked, his deep voice quiet.

“Of course I do,” Derek said, almost offended that he had to ask.

“Then tell him.”

Stiles came out from the back, wrapping his grey apron around his slender waist. His chestnut brown hair was a tousled mess and his dark eyes were filled with swirling thoughts. His lips moved slightly as he uttered to himself, trying to remember something as he fussed with the strap of his apron.

“We’d better get going,” Erica said, gently pushing back her chair and rising to her feet.

She picked up the empty coffee cups and carried them over to the bench, leaning over the counter to give Stiles a kiss on the cheek before returning to Boyd’s side.

“Ready to go?” Boyd asked.

Erica nodded, smiling up at him as she looped her arm through his.

“Bye, Stiles,” Boyd called out.

“Bye,” Stiles replied. “Take care.”

“You too.”

Boyd turned back to Derek.

“Tell him,” he said one last time before leaving.

Derek stood still for a while longer, just watching Stiles move about behind the counter.

Stiles straightened. A look of confusion passed over his face as he realised Derek was looking at him.

“What?” he asked.

“Nothing,” Derek said softly, smiling sweetly at Stiles.

“Okay,” Stiles said, brushing it aside. “Come here.”

Derek stepped over to the counter.

Stiles waved him closer insistently, already setting up the espresso machine to make a coffee.

Derek made his way around the end of the counter to stand beside Stiles.

“I promised I’d teach you how to make latte art,” Stiles reminded him.

“You’re really going to teach me?” Derek said, struggling to contain the excitement in his voice.

“Of course, I am,” Stiles said, pouring milk into two jugs, ready to steam them. “Okay, you get to steam the milk.”

Stiles stepped aside and let Derek stand in front of the espresso machine, walking him through what to do.

“The easier cup to do it in is the rounded one,” Stiles said, picking out two cups from where they were stacked on top of the machine. “You start by pouring the espresso into the bottom of the cup, add a small amount of the steamed milk, and gently swirl the cup to mix them together.”

Derek did as Stiles told him, setting down the cups and the jugs of steamed milk on the counter.

Stiles picked one of the cups and a jug of milk up.

“The difficult part of this is judging speed and the height from the cup,” Stiles explained. “Pour it slowly and evenly for a fairly high distance.”

Stiles gave him an example, slowly pouring the frothy milk into the cup.

“I’ll give you an easy one first,” Stiles said. “Pour some into the cup and then move the jug forward through the milk. Like this.”

Stiles showed him how to do it.

Derek mirrored his actions, letting the milk pool in the cup before flicking the milk through the centre.

“Perfect,” Stiles said. “Now turn it around.”

Derek did, smiling as he realised that he’d drawn a heart in the cup.

“I guess you can say I love you a latte,” Stiles said.

“Oh my god,” Derek muttered as he rolled his eyes and chuckled quietly.

Stiles beamed up at him, proud of his pun. He turned back to the counter, pouring some more steamed milk into his cup to finish off his design.

Derek watched him for a second, a soft smile creeping onto his lips.

“I love you,” he said softly.

Stiles turned to him, the look on his face telling Derek that he hadn’t heard him. “Sorry, what?”

Derek set the cup of coffee down on the counter and took a step closer, hooking his finger under the band of Stiles’ apron and pulling him closer. He looked deep into Stiles’ eyes, his voice soft and quiet as he said, “I love you.”

Stiles smiled, a soft sigh of relief escaping his lips as his eyes lit up. “I love you too.”

**Author's Note:**

> celestialvoid-fanfiction.tumblr.com


End file.
